Greetings, mortals!

It's my first ever newsletter and I don't know how substack works! HERE WE GO!

Welcome to my newsletter. Expect behind the scenes insights, event news, doodles, jokes that would shame your most embarrassing relatives, reader art and anything that happens to be flitting across my brain when I sit down to write to you. But first, a subliminal message to buy my books…

Look how lovely I am, please buy me!

Loki: King in the North!

I’m just back from a brilliant trip to Newcastle, Middlesbrough, Stockton and Norton, meeting teachers, librarians and – of course – readers. I love the energy of doing events. And, as one teacher put it, “finding out quite how twisted the minds of children are”. Children, I fear you. But in a good way. For example, I did an event at Norton library where we made up a mystery for Loki to solve, based on A Bad God’s Guide to Taking the Blame, in which Loki solves a crime (very, very badly). The murder and conspiracy these children came up with would chill your soul. Let’s just say, for delicate readers, it didn’t end well for Elon Musk.

Writing tip of the day

At one of the events, a child asked me for a general writing tip for a young author. I gave them the same tip I’d give an adult writer: make mistakes. Not just by accident. Seek them out. I find it so liberating to actively set out to write something terrible. I’ve learned a lot by writing things that don’t work at all. I’ve also learned how to take more risks by being unafraid of mistakes. I think there’s something about writing like you’re falling off a cliff screaming that gives a bit of a kick to your stories.

Upcoming events

I’ll be in Barnes on Saturday 3rd December, causing Loki mischief at my old school. Well, the boys’ school of my old school – I went to a girls’ school. But I used to go to orchestra practice at the boys’ school. So, as a trumpeter, I have technically spat on the floor there. Spit collects inside trumpets after a bit of playing so you have to let it out via a little valve.

Come along! I’ll be at St Paul’s School on December 3rd at 2pm for the London LitSoc Kids' Book Club. You can book here.

Joke of the day

Q: What’s the best thing about Switzerland?

A: Well, the flag’s a big plus…

(Thanks to @chrisphin for alerting me to the existence of this joke. I don’t know enough Geography-based jokes.)

I’d love to hear your jokes in the comments below!

Horrifying monstrosity of the day

We bought this evil baby from a market. I fear we will live to regret it. If we survive the night with THIS cursed baby in our kitchen…

Loki doodle of the day

I’m drawing book three of my Loki books today (well, some of it) and I like to warm up by doing a Loki doodle. Here’s one for today:

On the topic of doodling, author-illustrator Dapo Adeola asked on twitter the other day what people really like drawing – as in, the go-to thing they tend to draw more than anything else. I’ve realised I really like drawing animals in suits or overcoats. Especially rabbits. I have no idea why. What do YOU doodle naturally, when you happen to have a pen in your hand? Patterns? Faces? A particular animal?

Drawing prompt

Sometimes if I’m stuck for something to draw, I ask for prompts. Here’s one for you.

Draw an animal beginning with B. Then draw their worst enemy. If you’re feeling wordy, add a speech bubble showing what your B animal is saying to their worst enemy.

Listen to my evil laugh

I was fortunate enough to be a guest on a book podcast called Down the Rabbit Hole the other day. It’s me and Maz Evans plotting supervillainous world domination. Fear us. And listen here:

Gratuitous dog pic of the day

This is Buffy. She says thanks for reading this far. She says maybe Louie should get an editor for this newsletter.

Welcome to the teacherzone!

I was going to say “Teacher’s Corner” but I don’t know how to put something in the corner of the page on substack so it’s a bit central for a corner….

I absolutely love doing school visits. Meeting young readers, hearing their ideas and exploring Norse mythology with them makes a wonderful change from the solitary parts of writing and drawing.

Authors Aloud handle all the admin for my school visits so if you’d like me to visit your school, get in touch with them here. If you have any questions about my visits, do ask me here, on twitter @louiestowell or via my website .

The Reading Agency has created a nifty set of Loki: A Bad God’s Guide resources here.

There’s also a great kit here to accompany the podcast, Author in Your Classroom. You can listen to the podcast here – I LOVED doing this one. Insightful questions and a great chance to explore how Norse mythology inspired my Loki books.

Apple:

Spotify:

(Or search Author in your Classroom Louie Stowell on your preferred platform)

If you’re reading any of my books with your class, I’d love to hear from you – chat to me on twitter @louiestowell, I’m happy to answer questions your class asks. In the meantime, here are some questions I have for THEM about my LOKI: A Bad God’s Guide series

1)    Loki is on earth (a.k.a. Midgard) to become a better person. What does being a good person mean to you? Can you think of some actions Loki should take to become a  better person and improve his virtue score?

2)    Until Loki meets Valerie he’s never had a friend. If you met Loki (in his child form) would you be his friend? Would you be enemies? What would you say to him?

3)    Who’s your favourite character in the Loki books? (I promise not to tell Loki if you say another character.)

4)    If you were a Norse god, what would you be the god OF? Summer? Fire? Gaming? Fried chicken? Something else entirely? Perhaps you could draw yourself as a god, in clothes that you think match the personality and powers of your god self?

Picture of the day

I LOVE seeing reader’s pictures. Here’s one by a person called Sam who I met on my northern trip. I get students to create their own gods during workshops sometimes. This is the god of Rickrolling. GENIUS!

Calling all artists!

Would YOU like to have your picture in this newsletter, for all to marvel at your artistic genius? Send them to me! I’ll pick the best for the next mailing. You should be able to reply with a picture to this email. If not, use my website contact box here. (Let me know in the comments if you can’t reply? Would be useful to know! Still figuring Substack out)

Book of the day

I’ve just finished Nicola Penfold’s Beyond the Frozen Horizon. This incredible near-future book tells the story of a girl who travels to the Arctic with her scientist mother and discovers that capitalism is evil. Only it’s more subtle in Nicola’s expert writerly hands. Features bonus causes for optimism about climate change and a very cute blue fox who I now want to adopt, even though they are tragically fictional.

Perfect for (roughly) 10+. But these things always depend on the reader.

Speaking of capitalism….buy my books!

Now, I’m usually of the opinion that there is no ethical consumption under capitalism. But because I am a hypocrite, please assume that buying MY books is an act of great virtue. For example, you could support an incredible indie bookshop, Wonderland Books, by buying my latest here. And you can follow Wonderland here.

There are links to buy all my books on my website here. If you click through, you get a bonus picture of my dog dressed as a dragon, too. CLICK CLICK CLICK!

A very Loki Christmas

If you buy either (or both) of my Loki books from my local indie, Stoke Newington Bookshop, I will personalise it and add a doodle. Bums drawn on request. I’ll even do cars. I hate drawing cars. That’s how far I’ll go for you, dear reader.

Email them here or call on 020 7249 2808.

If you’re in London and just want a regular signed copy, I have recently defaced the entire Loki stock of Waterstones Piccadilly. It turns out it’s not vandalism when you’re an author.

I imagine I will think of all kinds of things to tell you the second I press send on this. But they’ll have to wait until next time…in the meantime, let me know what YOU would like to know, dear reader!

Louie xx